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Exploration–Exploitation Duality with Both Tradeoff and Synergy: The Curvilinear Interaction Effects of Learning Modes on Innovation Types

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2023

Peter Ping Li ,
Heng Liu Open the ORCID record for Heng Liu [Opens in a new window] ,
Yuan Li  and
Haifeng Wang
Peter Ping Li
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Ningbo China, China Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Heng Liu*
Affiliation:
Sun Yat-sen University, China
Yuan Li
Affiliation:
Shanghai Jiaotong University, China
Haifeng Wang
Affiliation:
Shanghai International Studies University, China
*
Corresponding author: Heng Liu (liuheng8@mail.sysu.edu.cn)
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Abstract

How can a firm apply the appropriate interaction between exploration and exploitation with the goal of either radical or incremental innovation? In this study, we seek to answer this puzzling question by reframing exploitation and exploration as a duality of learning (i.e., two modes that are partial complementary for synergy as well as partial conflicting for tradeoff). Specifically, rather than assuming either a positive or negative interaction between exploration and exploitation as prior literature has done, our study highlights a novel pattern of inverted U-shaped interaction between exploration and exploitation for both radical and incremental innovations. With a Chinese sample of 508 firms, our empirical evidence supports our prediction of two patterns of inverted U-shaped interaction of exploration and exploitation. Such unique findings showcase the unique value of reframing paradox into duality from the meta-perspective of yin-yang balancing to shed new light on organizational ambidexterity and innovation management.

Keywords

curvilinear interactionexploitation–exploration ambidexterityincremental innovationparadox as yin-yang dualityradical innovation
Type
Article
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , June 2023 , pp. 498 - 532
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The International Association for Chinese Management Research

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Footnotes

ACCEPTED BY Senior Editor Silvia Massini

References

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